Factionless

2. Choosing

"Beatrice Prior". The Choosing Ceremony. I hear my name, but it doesn't register. I am still in shock. Caleb. He chose Erudite. My mother squeezes my hand gently, "Beatrice! Go!", she whispers. I stumble up onto the platform, the bright lights blinding me for a second until I peer through my lashes at the five bowls. I walk slowly up to them, aware hundreds of pairs of eyes are trained on me. I glance back at the crowd, suddenly feeling very small. I search through the blue clothes until I find grey, Caleb. His eyes refuse to meet mine. I notice another pair of eyes, to the right of my vision. Staring intently into mine, a Dauntless man stares me down, as if searching my soul, his brown eyes finding my green, until I look away. Trembling, I pick up the knife and bring it to my skin, the cold metal presses into my skin and the lights are suddenly too bright again, and with their light, they bring heat also. Unbearable heat. And the fire of Dauntless crackles until I hear nothing else. It turns into a high pitched noise, loud in my ears until it is painful and I bring my hands up to my hear, not caring how crazy I look, anything to stop the pain. The knife drops to the floor, its sudden metal clatter silencing everything. I stare at it for a moment and realise it had my blood on it. I look down at the cut on my hand. My blood drips onto the floor. Red, splashing noislessly onto white. And then I run. I don't hear the shouts behind me, or even my mother's scream. I burst through the doors and keep running. My feet know where to go - I don't even have to think. Suddenly, I round the corner and they are there. The Factionless. They barely glance up as I walk among them, as if expecting me. I keep my head down until I find a secluded spot between two large boxes. I huddle between them, and close my eyes. I will not be kept in a box. I will not be made to choose between pieces of myself. I am factionless, free. I am Divergent.